Arm-brace-securing means



July 22, 1958 v. E. CADWELL ARM-BRACELISECURING MEANS Filed March 26, 1957 I fly. 4.

M'mess.

INVEN TOR.

IKE r1 E. C'adwel]. 4 BY F I 727. haul 2 ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 2,844,395 I I I ARM-BRACE-SECURING MEANS Vyrl E.Cadwell, Botna, Iowa Application March 26, 1957, Serial No. 648,715

4 Claims. (Cl. 287-1) This invention relates to a means for detachably securing an arm brace to a member and more particularly to an automatic locking device for securing a loader brace to the frame of a tractor.

Substantially all farm-tractor loaders are detachably secured to the tractor. Inasmuch as the tractors are used for many other tasks, the frequent removal and replacement of the loader becomes a considerable problem in both time and labor. I partially overcame this chore in the teachings of the attaching structure disclosed in my- United States Letters Patent No. 2,738,083, issuedon March 13, 1956. However, one of the shortcomings in the structure shown in this patent was the bolting of the two brace arms to the forward frame chassis of the tractor. Not only was a wrench necessary but difiiculty was encountered in aligning the bolt holes in the braces with the bolt holes in the chassis frame. Also, considerable time and effort were experienced.

Therefore, one of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a simple brace fastening means that does not require the use of wrenches.

A further object of this invention is to provide a brace-fastening means that moves into locking position automatically.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a brace-attaching device that is easily and quickly placed into a brace-releasable condition.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide a fastener device that is economical in manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrange ments, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of my brace-fastening means in released condition for receiving or detaching a brace arm.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the brace fastening means in a locked condition and holding a brace arm thereon.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the device taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and more fully illustrates its construction, and

Fig. 4 is an end view of the device as seen from the line 44 of Fig. 2 and shows the end of a brace secured thereon.

In these drawings I have used the numeral to designate a portion of the chassis of a tractor. The numeral 11 designates a plate rigidly and permanently secured to the chassis 10 by any suitable means such as by welding, rivets, bolts 12 or like. In the securing of a loader to a tractor more than one of my units are secured to the tractor, but inasmuch as they are all alike, I describe only' one complete unit. The

ICE

numeral 13 designates a horizontal stub shaft extending outwardly from the plate 11 as shown in Fig. 3. The numeral 14 generally designates my latch per se. The numeral 15 designates a washer, first inserted into the latch and then placed on the outer end of the stub shaft 13. This washer is secured to the end area of the stub shaft by any suitable means such as by welding, riveting, or like, as shown in Fig. 2. The numeral 16 designates a base portion of my latch, said base portion having a hole 17 near its dead-center area embracing thestub shaft at a point just back of the washer 15, as shown in Fig. 4. The upper end area of this portion 16 has its side edges extending upwardly and toward each other and then terminating in a bar hood 18. This bar hood 18 extends perpendicularly from the base portion 16 and inwardly toward the plate 11 and terminates just short of the plate as shown in Fig. 3. The lower end of the latch is bent perpendicularly from the base portion 16 and away from the plate 11 to form a portion 19. This portion 19 extends outwardly past the periphery of the washer 15 and then is bent at a right angle to form a portion 20. This portion 20 extends in a vertical plane and is parallel and just to v the outer side of the washer 15, as shown in Fig. 3.

Thus the portion 20 will (when the unit is in the posiof the portion 16. The numeral 21 designates a central cutaway area in the top area of the portion 20 as shown in Fig. 2. This cutaway portion 21 exposes the free end of the stub shaft thereby permitting the welding or riveting of the washer 15 to the end of the stub shaft. While the latch 14 is capable of complete rotation on the stub shaft, it will, unless manually rotated, remain in the position shown in Fig. 2, because of the action of gravity, the lower portion of the latch being heavier than its upper end. The numeral 25 designates an arm brace having a notch 26 in its lower side and near its end. This notch 26 is adapted to detachably embrace the stub shaft.

The practical operation of the device is as follows: The latch 14 is manually rotated to a position shown in Fig. 1 so that the bar hood will be in a direction away from the brace arm 25 to be held. With the latch in this position, it is merely necessary tolower the brace arm bringing the notch 26 onto the stub shaft. Next, the latch is released to permit it to swing by gravity to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The latch member 14 is limited from sliding on the stub shaft in both directions. The part 20 not only acts as an overbalancing weight but also is a retainer plate extending to the outer side of the fixed washer 15 thereby preventing the inward sliding movement of the latch means on the stub shaft. Inasmuch as the base portion 16 is at the inner side of the washer 15, the latch portion cannot slide outwardly on the stub shaft. The area of the latch portion is greater than that of the washer 15 and therefore when the latch portion is manually grasped for rotation, the hand will not contact the stationary fixed washer 15. When the latch part is manually released its bar hood 18 will automatically assume a position over the end of the arm, as shown in Fig. 2. When it is desired to remove the arm from the stub shaft, it is merely necessary to manually rotate the latch to a position shown in Fig. 1, thus bringing the projection or bar hood 18 to a position from above the end of the arm and thereby permitting the arm to be lifted upwardly and free of the stub shaft.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my arm-brace-securing means without departing from the function and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims,

any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I- claim:

1. In combination, a fastening device comprising a base, a horizontal stub shaft extending from said base, an arm having a notch in its under side, near one 'of its ends, and detachably, embracing said' stub shaft, a flat member rotatably mounted on said stub shaft; said flatmember having one of its end portions bent first outwardly and then back upon itself to form a retainer plate, a projection on the other end of said flat member extending over at least a part of said arm when said fiat member is in one positionv of its rotation on said stub shaft, and a washer fixed on said stub shaft and loosely extending between said retainer-plate portion and said flat member.

2. In combination, a fastening vdevice comprising a base, a horizontal stub shaft extending from said base, an arm having a notch in its under side, near one of its ends, and detachably embracing said stub shaft, a fiat member rotatably mounted on said stub shaft; said fiat member having one of its end portions bent first outwardly and then back upon itself to form a retainer plate, a projection on the other end of said fiat member extending over at least a part of said arm when said fiat member is in one position of its rotation on said stub shaft, and a Washer fixed on said stub shaft and loosely extending between said retainer-plate portion and said flat member; said flat member extending beyond a horizontal projection of said washer on a vertical plane.

3. In combination, a fastening device comprising 2.

base, a horizontal stub shaftextendiug from said base, an arm having a notch in its under side, near one of its ends, and detachably embracing said stub shaft, a flat member rotatably mounted on said stub shaft; said fiat member having one of it send portions bent first outwardly and then back upon itself to form a retainer plate, a projection on the other end of said fiat member extending over at least a part of said arm when said flat member is-in one position of its rotation on said stub shaft, and a washer fixed on said stub shaft and loosely ext-ending between said retainer-plate portion and said flat memb'e'r; said retainer plate having a cutaway portion to expose the outer end of said stub shaft.

4. In combination, a fastening device comprising a base, a horizontal stub shaft extending from said base, an arm having a notch in its under side, near one of its ends, and detachably embracing said stub shaft, :1 flat member rotatably mounted on said stub shaft; said fiat member having one of its end portions bent first outwardly and then back upon itself to form an overbalancing weight and a retainer plate, a projection on the other end of said flat member extending. over at least a part of saidarm when said flat member is in one position of its rotation on said stub shaft, and a washer fixed on said stub shaft and loosely extending between said retainer-plate portion and said flat member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

